The district courts are federal trial courts with general federal jurisdiction. There is at least one district court in each state, while some larger states have as many as four. There are in all 92 federal district courts in the 50 states plus one in the District of Columbia and one in Puerto Rico. The number of federal district court judges is fixed by statute. Normally only one judge hears a case, but in certain cases a three-judge panel is required.

In each district court, the bankruptcy judges constitute a unit of the court known as the bankruptcy court for that district. Each bankruptcy court may have its own clerk. The bankruptcy court has exclusive jurisdiction to hear all matters arising under the bankruptcy code and any matters concerning the administration of a bankruptcy estate. Decisions of a bankruptcy court may be reviewed first by the district court, then by a federal court of appeals.